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As you all enter the basement, you can't help but notice that the murals on these are actually in significantly better condition than those on the ground floor. In fact, it looks like these are new, relatively speaking. Iaros immediately begins inspecting the ones around the altar, fumbling in his robes as he does so.

You may not be professional scholars, but it's pretty clear what these images are depicting. The first picture in the series shows a number of people worshiping in front of a massive black stone under the light of the moon. The figure leading the ceremonies is raising his hands upward, and crimson lightning is either rising from his hands to the sky above, or striking down upon him.

The next panels show a field, no, a cemetery, being struck with the same red light. Alarmingly, this is followed by those buried there dragging themselves from their graves.

The murals then show the walking dead swarming through a village at night, entering homes and killing those within. Some fight back, but the undead are without end.

The final series of images show the sun shining over the village. The streets are filled with unmoving corpses, both of the villagers and the attackers. There was nothing left alive.

It is at this point that you notice what Iaros was fishing in his pocket for. He holds a shard of red crystal, about the size of a dagger and begining to crackle with scarlet arcs of electricity. He smiles and raises his gaze to the ceiling. "In case you were curious, the sun has indeed set. I thank you for your willingness to help, although it turned out to not be necessary. I'm afraid I have no intention of paying you for your services, however." Lightning arcs out from the crystal into the four corpses, which begin twitching and pushing themselves to their feet.

Lily pointed at risen corpse on her right, Lith get that one! Her shadow slid around unnaturally, counter to the light sources in the room and the flowing form of the thing called Lith burbled up from it, a mass of snapping jaws and flickering claws. As the her shadowy companion made its appearance Lily fished around in her bag, before pulling out the skull she used as a focus. It was a bleached white thing, with a small green gem set in its forehead. She spun to her left lifting the skull and incanting a spell, its eye sockets flashed and a flood of small ghostly figures erupted from it. They whirled about the undead creature, trying to distract it.

Spirit companions are complex critters, so this is to remind everyone, myself included, of the important points. The first three items are probably the most relevant to the other players.

Any of Lily's allies who start their turn adjacent to her spirit companion can shift 1 square as a free action, as the first action during their turn.

Any of Lily's allies adjacent to her spirit companion gain a +3 bonus to their damage rolls against bloodied enemies.

Lily's spirit companion occupies 1 square, Lily's allies may move through its space, but her enemies may not.

Lily's spirit companion may be targeted by melee and ranged attacks. If a single attack deals 11 or more damage to Lily's spirit companion it disappears and Lily takes 6 damage. Otherwise her spirit companion is unaffected by the attack.

Lily's spirit companion uses Lily's defenses.

Any enemy that leaves a square adjacent to Lily's spirit companion without shifting is subject its Spirit Fang attack. (This is an opportunity action and so may used once per turn, rather than once per round. Since there is no reason not to take this attack DM please feel free to roll them as necessary.)

Lily's spirit companion is unaffected by terrain and environmental phenomena.

Oni

"Each man, one way.
Each horse, one stance.
Each church, one buddha.
Each master to his own technique."

Raijin maintains his calm in these events, but begins to look angry at Iaros. You are dishonorable and this act is an abomination. If anything Raijin seems more upset at the former than the latter. He draws a dagger from his belt and points it at the "scholar". Let the stars burn with the light of the sun and scorch your evil work. An arcane glow surrounds the dagger and burning motes of light fall through the ceiling upon the far end of the room. Raijin moves forward carefully with the dagger held threateningly.

"Eww," chimes Empathy, realizing she is somehow standing in a pool of blood. She moves away and closer to the spirit summoned by Lily. Seeing the two enemies in the back of the room, she concentrates on them and tries to bring confusing, harrowing thoughts into their minds.

ooc

move: move to F9

standard: Dishearten, centered on N11: 23 vs will on Risen 77; 14 vs will on Iaros. If hit, 8 psychic damage and -2 to attacks until the end of Empathy's next turn.

D'keth quickly draws his longsword and slashes horizontally across the area in front of him, a blast of force slams into the enemy in front of him. "Spread out, make it difficult to pin us down" D'keth says to his allies.